President: Angela Vincent, AICP Economic Development Planner, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Hello! I am pleased to throw my hat in the ring for President of the APA-MA Chapter. I am currently the Economic Development Planner at the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission in Haverhill. Over the past 17 years, I have been involved in a wide-range of planning projects, including land use, housing, and economic development planning in both the public and private sectors. A highlight of my career has been developing expertise in the areas of sustainability and resiliency planning, where I had the pleasure of managing one of the first sustainability comprehensive plans in Massachusetts, the Greenfield Sustainable Comprehensive Plan. My education includes a Master s of Science in Resource Management and Administration from Antioch University New England, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy from Western Washington University (where I am originally from). I am proud to be an active member of the planning community, serving for over a decade in the following capacities: APA Board Member (2010-2014) Chair of the APA Northeast Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY (2015) President and Clerk of the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors (2014-Present) Co-Chair of the Southern New England APA Conference (2016) The Massachusetts Sustainability Champion for the APA-Sustainable Communities Division (2016) I am a resident of Haverhill where I am volunteering my time to revitalize and transform downtown to be more active, walkable and vibrant. I live in a converted shoe factory with my partner, Steve, and pup, Bandit. Thank you for your consideration! Vice-President of Chapter Affairs: ALISON LEFLORE, AICP Alison is the Secretary and SNEAPA Chair for APA-MA. She co-chaired the successful 2016 SNEAPA conference with Angela Vincent, leading a team volunteers to organize the nearly 700-person conference the biggest in SNEAPA history! She s currently serving on the Strategic Plan Committee working with Bob Mitchell and Laura Wiener to develop a Strategic Plan for the Chapter. She s also working with the Rhode Island Conference Planning Committee SNEAPA 2017 is just around the corner! As Vice President, Alison will continue her work to improve the services APA-MA offers while developing programs and services that provide additional benefits to our members. Prior to becoming Secretary, Alison was the Chapter s Young Planners Group Chair. In this role, she organized social events and advocated for young and new professionals. She joined the APA-MA Board as the Student Representative from Tufts University. She also served on the Local Host Committee for the 2011 APA National Conference in Boston. Alison is a Senior Planner / Project Manager at CivicMoxie. She holds a M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University and a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Development from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Treasurer: Karla L. Chaffee, Esq. Karla Chaffee is a land use attorney at Robinson & Cole, LLP. She has been a member of APA-MA for the past four years and is very interested in the intersection of planning practice and the law. She has organized a reception for New England planners at the last three National APA conferences and has moderated or participated in several APA and SNEAPA panels over the last few years. Ms. Chaffee's land use practice includes complex federal litigation, including Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), First Amendment, and Equal Protection Clause claims. She provides guidance to clients seeking local zoning approvals and counsels them on the impact of proposed or recently enacted land use legislation, as well as on land use trends across the country. Ms. Chaffee is a regular contributor to the blog, RLUIPA-Defense.com. Marlene McCollem, AICP Marlene McCollem, AICP has over sixteen years of professional planning experience. She is currently the Chief Housing Planner for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Regional Planning Agency serving the 101 cities and towns in the Greater Boston Region. Prior to joining MAPC, Marlene served as the Director of Planning, Environment and Permitting for the Town of Carver, the Assistant Town Planner for the Town of Falmouth, and was a Housing Specialist for OKM Associates, Inc. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Sustainable City Development from Bridgewater State University and a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. She has been a member of the AICP since 2004. Michael Vivaldi, AICP Michael Vivaldi, has seventeen years of experience in municipal land use planning and seeking to be elected as the Treasurer and after serving two years as the Legislative and Policy Officer for the APA-MA Board. After earning his MBA in 2015, he seeks the position of Treasurer to continue the strong financial position of the APA-MA Board with its financial responsibilities to the members of the APA-MA Chapter and the Board. He has been an active member of the Board by assisting with newsletters and the 2016 SNEAPA Conference Committee. He strives to be an active member of the planning community by keeping up to date on all national and state planning issues that will continue to be of significant concern. Michael is employed as the Senior Planner in the City of Everett Department of Planning & Development. Michael works collaboratively with all the Board members and City staff. Michael is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) since 2006 and his primary interests include multi-modal transportation and sustainable development. Michael holds a Masters of Regional Planning with a focus in Economic Development from the University of Massachusetts and a Masters of Business Administration from Bentley University. Professional Development Officer (PDO): Darlene Wynne Darlene Wynne, AICP currently serves as the Professional Development Officer (PDO) for the Chapter. As PDO, she manages the Chapter s CM Credit sponsorship, with the goal of increasing access to creditworthy events for chapter members. She also oversees the Chapter s AICP Prep class, the exam scholarship, and serves as an AICP liaison to APA National. Prior planning volunteer services includes: co-
founder, President and Vice President of the CNU New England Chapter (2004-2009) and Secretary of the Southeast Section Council of the APA Pennsylvania Chapter (2011-2013). In each of these roles, she was involved in professional development and educational events and conferences. She has also served on the SNEAPA Program Committee. Darlene has 14 years of broad work experience in planning in both the public and private sector; she is currently the Assistant Planning Director in Beverly, MA. Darlene earned a Master of City Planning from MIT and a BA (Architectural Studies) from Connecticut College. Secretary: Laura Wiener, AICP Laura was first elected to the APA-MA Board of Directors as Northeast Regional Representative in 2015. Her professional role is Assistant Director of Planning and Director of Housing in Arlington s Department of Planning and Community Development. Her planning areas of expertise are affordable housing, transportation, land use, and zoning, and implementation of the Town s Master Plan. She has a graduate degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts. During her first term on the APA-MA Board she worked on the newsletter, on creating a new Strategic Plan, and also initiated a movie series called Planners Movie and Meet-up. She is now running for Secretary, to help the Chapter do more for its members moving forward. Many of us who work for towns and cities can get isolated from trends and innovations in the field, and best practices. The APA- MA can provide opportunities for planners to work together and learn from each other. Legislation and Policy Officer: Steven Sadwick, AICP Steve has served in a number of leadership roles within the Massachusetts planning community. From 2002-2004 he was an active board member of the Citizen Planner Training Collaborative and began working with the Zoning Reform Working Group. He served as APA-MA Chapter President from 2007-2011 as well as President of the Mass. Association of Planning Directors from 2005-2007 and from 2014-2016. He served on the Governor s Zoning Reform Task Force and most recently was a panelist in the Zoning Reform Webinar on August 18, 2017. Steve has been the Chapter s point person with the Chapter s professional zoning reform advocacy firm since 2014. He has testified on a number of occasions before legislative committees representing both planning organizations. Steve has been in the planning and economic development field since graduating in 1991 from Syracuse University with his Masters in Public Administration. He has been the Town of Tewksbury s Community Development Director from to 2001 to 2016 when he was promoted to his current position of Assistant Town Manager. Cape Cod & Islands Regional Representative: Elizabeth Jenkins Elizabeth Jenkins currently serves as the Cape and Islands Regional Representative to the APA-MA Chapter. Elizabeth is the Director of Planning & Development with the Town of Barnstable and has served with the Town since 2010. Elizabeth leads a department focused on addressing housing, land use and economic challenges with resource-sensitive strategies. She is committed to building engaged,
creative, and sustainable communities and to promoting transparent and inclusive decision making. Elizabeth has a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota. Greater Boston Regional Representative: Write in candidate Northeast Regional Representative: Matthew Coogan Matt is the Senior Planner for the City of Gloucester and the Town Planner for Essex. His planning responsibilities include clean energy, climate change and coastal vulnerability, downtown revitalization, comprehensive planning, and placemaking. In recognition of his efforts to implement policies and programs that have led to significant and measurable environmental and energy benefits in both Gloucester and Essex, Matt received a 2016 Massachusetts Leading by Example Award from the Baker- Polito administration. Prior to his current positions, Matt served as a project manager at a public space management firm in Boston and New York. He has a bachelor's degree in anthropology and philosophy from the University of Maryland and a Master in Urban Planning degree from the City University of New York, Hunter College. As the Northeast Regional Representative, Matt would work to improve lines of communication between planners within the region in order to help inform planners as well as provide opportunities for education and collaboration. ANDREW SHAPIRO, AICP Andrew is the Economic Development Planner in Salem s Department of Planning and Community Development. In that role he manages the City's business incentive programs, recruitment and retention initiatives, and coordination with state and local economic development organizations. Andrew also manages a number of projects, including ones that focus on infrastructure improvements, historic preservation, and benefitting Salem s environmental justice neighborhoods. One such project that he managed earned the 2015 MA-APA Social Advocacy Award. He staffs the Salem Redevelopment Authority and Design Review Board. Prior to his current position, Andrew held roles with the City of Boston s Office of Emergency Management (Regional Planner), the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA), Central Maryland Regional Transit (CMRT), and the City of Manassas, VA s Department of Community Development. Andrew serves on various boards, including the City of Newburyport s Planning Board, the Northshore Workforce Investment Board, and the Steering Committee of Salem Main Streets. He holds a MURP from Virginia Tech and a BA in Political Science from Syracuse University. Andrew hopes to stoke intellectual curiosity and vivid discussion on a variety of topics among planners if he is elected to become Northeast Regional Representative. He will ensure that regular events and programming occurs and will take input from those who express interest in broaching certain subjects. Thank you for your consideration. Melisa Tintocalis
Melisa Tintocalis is a planner with a social streak who believes in our communities and their role in supporting each other and the environment we share. For these reasons, you are likely to find her organizing a neighborhood block party or in a more professional setting, as the Town of Lexington s Economic Director, where she incorporates a smart growth philosophy and has spearheaded initiatives such as mixed-use zoning, parking reform, and public space projects. Melisa wants to serve as your Northeast Regional Representative and bring together members through entertaining opportunities with the goal to learn from each other as well as understand trends from industry leaders. Melisa s creativity will result in new opportunities for APA members to network and gain AICP credits; the following are a couple ideas she could bring as your rep: Organize unique Airbnb-style Experiences in the region s towns and cities led by you as the local host combined with AICP credits. Use audio and video platforms to share regional planners knowledge through a series of visits and conversations. Melisa is a California native with inter-state experience having earned her Master s in Urban Planning at the University of Michigan, she has worked for the City of San Diego, Somerville, Massachusetts and as a government services consultant. Michael Zehner, AICP, LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE Michael Zehner, AICP, LEED Green Associate, has been a professional planner and community development administrator for 15 years. A graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with a B.A. in Political Science, Michael s first job was as a legislative assistant for a U.S. Congressman. In this role Michael had the opportunity to work with communities in the district on economic development and infrastructure projects that sparked his interest in planning. Since 2002, Michael has worked for municipalities in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and, currently, Massachusetts, where he serves as the Planning Director for the Town of Wellesley (since 2013; Michael served as the Town s Assistant Planning Director from 2009 to 2012). Michael values public service and enjoys helping communities develop solutions to challenging issues. As Northeast Regional Representative Michael hopes to directly engage Chapter members in the Region, advocate for greater authority for municipal planning and its professionals, continue to improve the visibility of the Chapter and its members both regionally and nationally, and bring an experienced outside perspective to the effort to improve state planning and land use laws and regulations. Southeast Regional Representative: Christi Wrigley Apicella, AICP Christi Wrigley Apicella, AICP, joined the APA-MA Board in 2015 as the Southeast Region representative. She has been an active member of the Annual Planning Awards Committee and was part of the SNEAPA Planning Committee in 2016. With two years of experience on the APA-MA Board, Christi now looks forward to an opportunity to implement the strategic plan developed over the past year, and increase communication and planning events within the southeast region. Christi has more than 20 years of planning experience with a blend of consultant, public sector and non-profit employment. She is currently a Senior Project Manager with the transportation planning and engineering firm of McMahon Associates. She is passionate about developing transportation solutions that create more livable communities. Her prior planning positions include senior planner at the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO) in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area of Boston; director in the City of Somerville, MA Office of Housing and Community Development; and associate at Whiteman
& Taintor. Christi is a member of the Franklin Downtown Partnership and was an appointed resident for the Franklin 2013 Master Plan Committee. Central Regional Representative: Paul Dell Aquila, AICP Paul Dell Aquila, AICP, is currently the Town Planner in Spencer. A native of Worcester, Paul is wellversed in the planning issues and challenges facing Central Massachusetts. He would work to support those communities without full-time professional planning staffs through targeted programming and events and also highlight best practices and innovative projects throughout the region. Previously, Paul has worked at MassAudubon, MetroWest Regional Collaborative (MAPC), and CMRPC. In 2016, he served as the co-chair of the mobile workshop subcommittee for the SNEAPA conference. This past May, he served as co-chair of Jane Week 2017, a week-long series of events and walks highlighting Jane Jacobstyle urbanism in Worcester. Paul holds a MA in Urban Planning from the University of Southern California and a BA in History from Tufts University. Jim Robbins I am running for re-election as the Central Region Representative on the APA-MA Chapter Board of Directors, a position I have held for the past four years. If re-elected I will continue to promote professional Planning Education and training in the Planning profession. I will represent the concerns of Central Massachusetts and the interests of the APA-MA Chapter in its efforts toward Zoning Reform. I will promote the goals of the Chapter and its desire to increase involvement in planning issues at the local and state levels. Below is my biography and a brief outline of my professional experience. Jim has been a professional planner for thirty-three years. He is presently the Planning Director for the Town of Westborough, a position which he has held for twenty-four years. Prior to this, he was a community development planner with the City of Boston. Jim has spoken at numerous planning conferences on topics ranging from zoning, to design review to smart growth techniques. He was a speaker at the APA National Conference in Boston in 2011 leading a mobile workshop on re-purposing industrial sites for downtown redevelopment. As Planning Director in Westborough, Jim developed some creative zoning tools designed to implement Smart Growth techniques. A key component of this approach was the provision for transit-oriented development and the Transit-Oriented Village (T-OV) zoning district. The zoning received recognition from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the 2006 Smart Growth Award from the Commonwealth s Office of Community Development. As a current member of the APA-MA Board, Jim has been the Chair of the Chapter s Annual Awards Committee. Jim is a former President of the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors (MAPD). He was the 2015 recipient of the prestigious Thomas S. Green Award given by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau for outstanding and exemplary contributions to government and the community. Jim holds a Bachelor s Degree in Urban Studies from the University of Connecticut and a Master s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech. Western Regional Representative: Jessica Allan
Jessica Allan has served as the City Planner of Easthampton since March 2012 and has a keen interest on creative placemaking techniques for communities. Currently in her role as City Planner, Jessica develops and implements community plans, administers the zoning code, provides permitting assistance, writes and manage grants including Community Development Block Grant, represents the City on regional boards, and provides technical planning assistance to various city boards and committees, including the Affordable & Fair Housing Partnership, Commission on Disability, Conservation Commission, Easthampton City Arts, Economic Development and Industrial Commission, and Planning Board. She has managed and procured the construction of several infrastructure projects, including Nashawannuck Pond Promenade Park and the Pleasant Street Mills Infrastructure Project. Prior to being the City Planner, Jessica was a Principal Planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission where she provided technical planning and zoning assistance to 43 communities in Western Massachusetts. She holds Masters Degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Jessica currently serves as Vice President on the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors (MAPD) Board of Directors, and would welcome an opportunity to serve on the APA-MA Chapter Board of Directors. In this role she hopes to highlight all the fantastic planning projects happening in the western part of the state, and represent regional interests, from rural communities to our major cities.